MTU Cork bow out of the Fitzgibbon Cup away to UL

UL 2-22 MTU Cork 1-19

MTU Cork bowed out of the Fitzgibbon Cup at the quarter-final stage at Maguires Fields on Tuesday night.

Two goals inside the opening 10 minutes from UL’s Mikey Kiely and Mark Rodgers saw the six-time champions on their way to a comfortable win.

MTU Cork improved after the break with Liam O’Shea to the fore and Declan Hanlon’s late goal but that slow start to the game cost them dearly. They were without some key forwards in Alan Connolly and Declan Dalton through injury.

Kiely bagged the first goal after just four minutes when he latched onto a long delivery to fire past Ger Collins. MTU responded through Brendan Twomey and Alan Walsh but points from Kiely and Rodgers and Billy Power restored UL’s dominance.

That advantage increased further when Rodgers hit the back of the net to leave the score at 2-4 to 0-3 with 10 minutes on the clock.

The margin could have been even greater at that stage as MTU Cork struggled to tame the classy full forward line from the home side but for some last ditch desperate defending.

Gearoid O’Connor was on form for UL with six first-half points to add to the goals, while MTU Cork relied on O’Shea and Tomas Howard from play. UL led 2-12 to 0-9 at half-time.

O’Shea fired over two early frees in the second half but UL continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the second half with Hanlon’s late scoring salvo putting a gloss on the scoreline for MTU Cork.

Scorers for UL: G O’Connor 0-8 (0-4 f), N Brennan 0-5, M Kiely 1-2, M Rodgers 1-1, B Power, C Connolly, R Hayes, B O’Grady, K Sampson, C O’Flaherty 0-1 each.

MTU Cork: L O’Shea 0-9 (0-6 f), D Hanlon 1-1, T Howard 0-3, A Walsh 0-2, B Twomey, B Kehoe, A O’Connell, P Creedon 0-1 each.

UL: E Davis (St Catherine's); D Treacy (Scariff, Clare), TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge, Galway), M Gough (Smith O’Briens, Clare); K Sampson (Shinrone, Offaly), B O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill, Tipperary), C Galvin (Clarecastle, Clare); B O’Sullivan (Kanturk), C Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney, Tipperary); N Brennan (Lisdowney, Kilkenny), G O’Connor (Moyne Templetuohy, Tipperary), B O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen, Limerick), (B Power (Clonea, Waterford), M Rodgers (Scariff, Clare), M Kiely (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty, Waterford).

Subs: C Flaherty (Carnmore-Claregalway, Galway) for Galvin (h-t), Rory Duff (Mungret St Pauls, Limerick) for O’Sullivan (h-t), C Comerford (The Harps, Laois) for Connolly (45), R Hayes (Crusheen, Clare) for Sampson (49), C O’Grady (Hospital-Herbertstown, Limerick) for Brennan (56, inj).

MTU CORK: (Cork unless stated): G Collins (Ballinhassig); B Murphy (Carrick Swans, Tipperary), W Hurley (Valley Rovers), L Ryan (Inniscarra); S Keoghan (Graigue-Ballycallan, Kilkenny), P O’Flynn (Bride Rovers), J Cranny (St Lazerians, Laois); B Twomey (Carrigtwohill), S Quirke (Midleton); T Howard (Dromtarriffe), L O’Shea (Lisgoold), A Walsh (Kanturk); B Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary), P Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary), J Mulcahy (Carrigtwohill).

Subs: A O’Connell (Douglas) for Mulcahy (29), E Collins (Newcestown) for Cranny (37), D Hanlon (Blarney) for Kehoe (50), C O’Leary (Ballincollig) for Twomey (51), C Hickey (Lisgoold) for O’Flynn (53).

Referee: L Gordon (Galway).